The international break has been more interesting than normal for those keeping an eye on how well Rangers players have done on their travels.
Hamza Igamane’s Morocco debut will raise his price tag, Mohamed Diomande started for the Ivory Coast, but the undoubted star was Nicolas Raskin’s man of the match display for Belgium.
In a star-studded Red Devils XI, it was the Rangers No.43 who shone the brightest with an all-action display that saw him dominate proceedings on just his first start for his country.
Taking club form to the international stage is never easy, however, the 24-year old is already earning praise from Belgium’s media.
Not only that, but Raskin has seen his performances compared to that of 52-times capped Belgium great Steven Defour, who played for Porto, Anderlecht and in the Premier League with Burnley.
Steven Defour praises Nicolas Raskin’s Belgian impact
Speaking to Sporza, Defour himself has responded to the praise and does see a lot of himself in the young pretender:
“I understand the comparison,” said Defour.
“He is a driving force and a pitbull who does not let go of his opponent. He played well forward and was calm on the ball. Everything that was asked of him, he did well.”
“He’s been playing at a high level for a few years now and is doing well at Rangers. Sometimes you need a few more years, but he’s taken his chance now and the coach knows he can count on him.”
What’s next for Raskin?
Raskin now has to consolidate his recent form over the rest of the season with his toughest tests being against the bread and butter of the Scottish Premiership.
The Europa League and Old Firm derbies see more space afforded for those in the engine room, now Raskin must master the art of playing against low blocks and ultra defensive sides.
It is easy to fall into a trap when your team has 80% possession of just moving the ball around, but against Ukraine for Belgium, there was always a purpose to how he probed and moved the defence to create space for others.
His teammates need to play their part too, however, if Raskin takes the advice of the current Rangers manager, he might not be at the club for much longer.
